Air driven advertising device



Sept. 11, 1934.

R. H. O BRIEN AIR DRIVEN ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed March 6, 1934 Patented Sept. ll, Q

STATES PATENT olf-Fics 1,973,223 AIR DRIVEN `ADVERTISING DEVICE Raymond H. OBrien, Los Angeles, Calif. Application March 6, 1934, Serial No. 714,213

6 Claims.

My invention relates to an air driven advertising device and has for its principal object, the provision of a relatively simple, practical and inexpensive advertising device having a rotor that is actuated by wind or by an air jet or an electric fan and which rotating member is distinctively marked or colored so as to attract attention to the device, one or more of the faces of which carry advertising matter or the like.

A further object of my invention is, to provide adevice of the character referred to thatl may be conveniently mounted on'a vehicle so that the rotor will be driven by the wind or air pressure produced as the vehicle is propelled or which device may be mounted on a stationary support, forinstance, on a billboard or in a show window and the rotor being driven by a small electric fan or by means of a jet of air issuing from a nozzle.

` A further object of my invention is,to provide an advertising device having simple and eflicient means for automatically controlling the speed of the rotor when the device is carried by a vehicle or the like.

With the foregoing and other objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed4v and illustrated in the accompanying drawing'fin which: v

Fig. l is a frontelevational view of an advertising device constructed in accordance with my invention. l Fig. 2 is a vertical section 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig.3 isa vertical section taken 3-3 of Fig. 2. l

Fig. 4. is a detail section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

taken on the line Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing a portion of the rotor with a nozzle arranged for directing a jet of air against the vanes ofthe.

rotor. Y Y

' Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view showing aporfI tion ofthe rotor and with an electric fan arrangedtc drive air against the vanes of said rotor.`

lReferring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, 10 and 11 designate respectively the front and rear panels of the device, which panels are preferably formed of sheet metal and which may be of any desired size and shape. at points near the corners by spacing rods 12 and arranged between the lower portions of the panels is a horizontally disposed partition 13. 'i'

Formed in the front panel 10, just above the `partition 13, is an opening 15, preferably circular in form and arranged between the panels 10 and 11 and surrounding the upper and side por- Aon the line` These panels are connected preferably' tions of this opening 15, is a partition 16 that forms a housi-ng for the rotor used in the device. The lower ends of this housing are spaced apart from the partition 13 and extending upwardly from the lower ends of said housing and outwardly toward the vertical edges of the panels l0 and 11, are inclined plates 1'?.

As a result of this construction tapered throats 18 are formed on both sides of the device between the end portions of partition 13 and the inclinedY plates 17, the inner ends of which throats communicate with the lower portion of the chamber in the rotor housing 16.

The rotor ofthe device comprises a front plate or disc 19 that is positioned directly behind and which `is slightly larger in diameter than the opening 15 in front panel 10 and secured tothe innerface of the disc 19 and projectingtoward rear panel l1, is a circular drum 20 that is some-v what smaller in diameter than said ldisc.

y The rear end of the drum 20 or the end adjacent rear panel l1 is closed bya disc 2l and secured to the outer periphery ofthe drum and to the inner face of disc 19, is a series of radially'disposed vanes 22.

As the rotor rotates within the housing,these` vanes pass through the space between the inner ends of` throats 18 directly above the central 'portion of the partition 13. l A

Extending axially through drum 20, is a shaft 23, the forward end of which is` secured to the center offdisc 19 and the rearportion of this shaftis mounted in an antifriction bearing 2li,` theffixed portion of which is secured to the inner face of rear panel 12.

Suitably hinged or pivoted in the lower inner portions of the throats anddirectly above the partition 13, are" dampers 25- that are slightly curved lengthwise and formed in each damper are'4 oneor more openings such as 26. l The length of these dempers is such, that when they swing up" ward, their upper edges engage the lower ends of the adjacent inclined plates 17, thereby practically closing the lower inner ends of the throats in which the dampers are positioned.

' In order to attract attention to the advertising matter appearing on the panel 1i), the outer faceV of the disc 19 that is readily lvisible through opening 15 and which disc rotates as the device isin operation,`is distinctively marked or colored and in Fig. 1 I have shown the face of the disc carrying a spirally disposed vmark or band.

Other distinctive markings may be employed, for instance, differently colored radially disposed marks or bands or segments.

My improved advertising device "may'be in stalled at any convenient point' on a vehicle and as the latter is driven forwardly air will enter the forward one of the throats 18 and said air will strike against the vanes 22 of the rotor, thereu with an opening, a housing on the rear side of by imparting rotary movement to the latter and to the distinctively marked or colored disc 18 and the movement of the latter, will attract attention to the device and the advertising matter appearing on the face of panel 10. After impinging the vanes 22 of the rotor, said air will discharge out through the throat on the rear side of the device (see dotted lines Fig. 3)

By arranging dampers 25 in both of the throats 18, the device when mounted on amoving vehicle, will function as the vehicle moves forwardly or rearwardly.

In the event that the vehicle to which the device is attached is driven at a high speed and which action would nullify the desired eiect produced by the marked face of disc 19, air entering the intake throat will engage beneath damper 25 and swing the same upward to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, thereby closing the inner end of said throat, but a sufficient amount of air to operate the rotor will enter through the opening or openings 26 in the damper so that the rotor will operate at a suitable speed. Y

Where the advertising device is used in connection with billboards or the like or where the device is used in show windows for attracting attention, the rotor may be driven by means of a jet or air from a nozzle as illustrated in Fig. 5 or by means of a small electric fan as illustrated in Fig. 6.

In some instances and particularly where the device is mounted in a show window or stationary support, the rotor may be driven by means of a small electric motor or by a spring motor.

The panel 10 that bears the advertising matter may be of any desired size and shape and in some instances two or more of the rotors may beemployed linthe same device so as to produce novel and attractive effects.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an air driven advertising device that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and which is very eiective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor `changes in the size, form andv construction of the various.

parts of my improved air driven advertising device may be made and substituted for thoseherein shown and described without departingirom' the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims. v

I claim as my invention:

v 1.7In an advertising device, a panel provided with an opening, a rotor mounted for operation to the rear of the panel, a disc forming a part of said rotor, which disc is positioned immediately behind the opening in the panel, the front face of said disc being distinctively marked Vand means for imparting rotary motion to said rotor.

2. In an advertising device, a panel provided said panel around the opening therein, a rotor mounted for operation within said housing, a disc carried by said rotor and positioned .immediatelyto the rear of the opening in said panel,

the front face of which disc is distinctively marked, a series of radially disposed vanes carried by said rotor and throats formed on the rear side of said panel, the lower ends of which throats i communicate with the lower portion ofthe chamber within said housing.

3. In an advertising device,.a panel provided rotor, throats formed on the rear side of said panel, the lowerends of which throats communicate with the lower portion of the chamber within said housing and dampers pivotally mounted in the lower portions of said throats, which dampers when swung upward close the opening from the lower ends of the throats into the chamber within said housing.

4.` In an advertising device, a panel provided with an opening, a housing on the rear side of said panel around the opening therein, a rotor mounted for operation within said housing, a disc carried by said rotor and positioned immediately to the rear of the opening in said panel, the front face of which disc is distinctively marked, a series otradially disposed vanes carried by said rotor, throats formed on the rear side of said panel, the lower ends of which throats communicate with the lower portion of the cham--` ber within said housing, dempers pivotally mounted in the lower portions of said throats, which dampers when swung upward close the opening from the lower ends of the throats into the chamber within said housing and each damper having an opening.

5. `In an advertising device, a panel provided with an opening, the front face of which panel around said opening is adapted to bear advertising matter, a housing on the rear side of said panel around the opening therein, throats formed on opposite sides of said housing, the lower portions of which throats communicate with the chamber within said housing, a rotor mounted for operation within said housing, said rotor including a series of radially disposed vanes that traverse the space'between the-opening from the throats into the chamber within the housing, a disc carried by the lower portion of the rotor and positioned immediately to the rear of the opening in the panel, the front face of said disc being distinctively marked in the lower inner portions of said throats and adapted when swung upward to close-the openings from said throats into the chamber within said housing.

6. In an advertising device, a panel provided with an opening, the front face of which panel around said opening is adapted to bear Vadvertising'matter, a housing on the rear side of said panel around the opening therein, throats formed on opposite sides of said housing, the lower portions of which throats communicate with the chamber within said housing, a rotor mounted for operation within said housing, said rotor including a series of radially disposed vanes that traverse the space between the opening trom the throats into the chamber within the housing, a disc carriedvby the lower portion of the Yrotor and positioned immediately to the rear of the opening in the panel, they front face of said disc being distinctively marked in the lower inner portions of said throats and adapted when swung upward to :close the opening from said throats into the chamber within said housing and each damper provided with an opening.

RAYMCND `I-I. OBRIEN.' 

